Plate casting, finishing, and cooling machine



June 9, 1942. o. c. ROESEN PLR'IE CASTING, FINISHING, ANDCOOLING'MAGHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet l June 9, 1942. o.c. ROESEN AND COOLING MACHINE PLATE CASTING, FINISHI'NG Filed Dec. 26,1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 9, 1942. o. c. ROESEN 2,285,680

PLATE CASTING, FINISHING, AND COOLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1940 '7Sheets-Sheet 3 June 9, 1942.

o. c. RNOESEN PLATE CASTING, FINISHING, AND COOLING MACHINE Filed Dec.26, '1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 9,1942. o. c. ROESEN 2,285,680

PLATE CASTING, FINISHING, AND COOLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1940 7Sheets-Sheet 5 wil /4,;

' HHIIIIIIIII g O. C. Poewep June 9, 1942. o. c. ROESEN 2 ,6

PLATE CASTING, FINISHING, AND COOLING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6Filed'Dec. 26, 1940 OLTFOa/ep I q June 9, 1942. o, c oEs H 2,285,680

PLATE C'ASTING, FINISHING, AND COOLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1940 '7Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented June 9, 1942 l UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICEPLATE CASTING, FINISHING, AND COOLING MACHINE Application December 26,1940, Serial No. 371,816

Wood Newspaper Claims.

The following description relates to an invention in a machine forautomatically casting and finishing stereotype plates. More specificallyit provides for performing the successive operations of casting theplate in the mold, removing it from the mold and matrix, and finishingthe plate by successively shaving the excess metal from the innerconcave surface, trimming off the riser or tail of the casting anddisposing of the same and ultimately delivering the finished plate incooled condition. While each of the above operations has previously beendone mechanically, the arrangement of such machines for successivecyclical operation and powered from a common motor is a distinct advanceover prior practice.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide improved casting meansby which the parts of the mold are held in locked position during thecasting operation following which the back of the mold is separated fromthe cast plate and the latter is then placed upon a gravity runway insuch manner that it is stripped from the core and caused to travel bygravity into position to be finished.

A further object of the invention is to provide timed mechanism whichwill receive the freshly cast plate and position it in the finishingarch, effect the shaving and trimming operations in timed sequence anddispose of the tail separately from the finished plate.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide for successivelystopping the plate in the several stations in which operations areperformed and to follow each of those operations with automatic releaseof the plate for further travel.

One of the objects of my invention is to render automatic andmechanical, the movement of the plate from the time it is cast to themoment of delivery and to carry out the several steps of the operationwithout the necessity of attention by the operator.

Incidental to the carrying out of this invention, I have provided meansconsisting of the controlling mechanism by which the several operationsare carried out in timed sequence.

An additional object of this invention has been to provide a commonsource of motive power by which each of the several devices are causedto function in the desired manner and in the appropriate sequence.

As exemplifying the preferred means for carrying out the purposes of theinvention above set out and such other purposes as may appear, I

have shown in the accompanying drawings one embodiment of the invention.In these drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the first part of themachine showing the means for casting the stereotype plate, stripping itfrom the matrix and then from the core;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the subsequent part of the machine wherethe plate is delivered by gravity, shaved, the tail trimmed off anddelivered separately from the plate and the latter then cooled andreleased;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the first mentioned part of the machine; 7

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the second mentioned part of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section of the first part'of themachine positioned while delivering the plate from the core to thegravity runway;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the casting box and core;

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of the shaving, trimming andtail delivery means;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the line 88 of Fig. '1 showing thetripping mechanism for the tail delivery;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section along the longitudinal axis of the machineshowing the trimming mechanism with its associated stop means and Fig.10 is a vertical elevation on the line I 0-40 of Fig. 2 showing thepower gearing in greater detail.

Broadly speaking, the invention comprises the correlated arrangement andoperation of pouring or casting the plate, its delivery to a gravityrunway with successive stops for finishing and cooling, and with meansbetween the last two stations for diverting and delivering separatelythe surplus tail of the cast plate. The main frame ll of the machine isprovided on each side with a ribbed track l2 generally horizontal andrunning inward from the front end of the machine. This provides a trackfor the parts of the casting box;l3. The latter comprises a mold M inwhich the appropriate matrix or fiong is carried. Each side of the moldl4 carries a bracket l5 having a horizontally extending arm l6. On eachbracket l5 there is journaled a wheel l'l. wheel has a V-shapedperiphery fitting the ribbed track l2 upon which it rolls. of the arm l6carries an adjustable eccentric stud l8. This stud forms a bearing forthe roller I9. The latter is guided between the opposing tracks 29, 2|on the inner side wall of the main frame I I.

The upper portion of thebracket l5 has a This The forward end downwardlyextending track 22 for co-operation with a core locking mechanism.

Outwardly on each side of the casting box I3 and the main frame II,there is a side shield 23 shown in Fig. 1. This side shield has a stud24 which forms a pivot for a bell crank lever 25. This lever at one endhas a roller 26 which is carried in the track 22. The opposite end ofthe lever is made in the form of a hook 21 which co-operates with a partof the core to lock the latter in casting position. The side shield 23has an inwardly extending track 28 controlling the travel of the wheelII on the track I2.

The core 29 is mounted upon a bracket 39. On each side of the core is apin 3| which is received in the locking hook 21 in the assemblingmovement of the casting box.

The core has a backwardly directed extension 32 which forms a stop forthe tilting movement of the core.

The core itself is supported on a pair of rollers 33, one on each sideand traveling on the ribbed track I2.

In the casting position, the lower end of core 29 rests upon aspring-seated support 34 which has a lower stop ring 35. This supportswings on stud 36 located on bracket 31 which in turn rests upon a crossbeam 38 of the main frame. The exact height desired for the support 34is obtained by the adjusting screw 39. 49 serves to cushion the supportin its downward movement. 4

The power for operating this casting box is derived from motor 4I. Themotor shaft carries a pinion 42 which drives a ring gear 43. gear is ona shaft 44. The shaft 44 has a worm 45 in mesh with a gear 49. This gearis on the end of shaft 41. As shown in Fig. 10 this shaft also has aworm 48. The worm 48 delivers power to gear 49, the shaft 50 of whichhas a beveled gear 5I. A similar beveled gear 52 drives its shaft 53 andapplies power to the rotary cam 54.

A rock shaft 55 journaled in the frame (Fig. 3) has a crank 56 at oneend. This crank travels in the cam track in the cam 54, thu causing theshaft 55 to oscillate. A rock arm 51 fixed on shaft 55 terminates in agear sector 59. A shaft 59 also journaled in the opposite sides of themain frame II carries a gear 69. This gear 69 meshes with the gear 58 onthe rock arm 51. In this way shaft 59 is given a limited rotation in oneor the other direction by the rocking gear 58.

At opposite ends of the shaft 59 crank 6|, 6| are provided. Links 62connect these cranks 5 I, 6| with pivots B3 on opposite sides of thecasting box I3.

It will be evident that as the cam 54 rocks shaft 55 the latter by meansof its gear 58 will throw the cranks SI, SI back and forth thusreciprocating the casting box I3 on the tracks I2, I2. This movementretracts the casting box and serves to separate the cast plate from thematrix as soon as the core has been unlocked.

The movement of the core 29 with the cast plate P is first to the leftof Fig. 5 and then in a tilting direction bringing the core beyond thehorizontal position with the plate stripped'from it and resting upon therollers I9 of the inclined runway (Fig. 5). To effect this movementshaft 59 is also provided with a Genev motion 64 comprising a lockingdisk 95, lever 66 and pin 61. This device will of course oscillate whenthe shaft 59 is rotated by the gear 69. A stub shaft 58 extends inwardlyfrom one side wall of frame The spring This II slightly below the shaft59. This stub shaft has fixed upon it a Geneva wheel which fits thelocking disk 65 and receives pin 67. Motion given stub shaft 58 by theGeneva wheel 99 is imparted to rock arm I9. This in turn is connected bylink II to a rock arm I2. Rock arm 12 is fixed on rock shaft I3. A longarm I4 is also fixed to rock shaft I3 and is connected at its oppositeend by means of link 15 to the upperportion of the core 29.

The lower end of the bracket 39 which forms the back of the core, haspivoted thereto a pair of struts 15, IS. The opposite ends of the strutsare journaled on stud 'I'I extending inwardly from the sides of theframe II. A stop 79 is provided on the nearer side of the frame II toengage the extension 32 on the core 29 and thus limit its movement.

In the operation of the mechanism above described the core will movefrom the vertical position as shown in Fig. 1 to the inclined positionshown in Fig. 5. During this retracting and tilt ing movement the castplate P will strike the roller 79 of the inclined runway before theextension 52 strikes the stop I8. As a consequence the plate P will bestripped from the core and will slide down the runway by gravity.

The features of construction of the casting box I3 including mold I4 andcore 29 are similar to those described in prior Patents 1,009,272 and1,433,555 to which reference is made for further details.

Provision is made for automatic pouring of the stereotype metal to thecasting box at the initial stage of the cycle. This mechanism includes atank 89 in which the molten metal remains until lifted through the liftpump 8i. The plunger rod 82 of the pump is operated by means of a rockshaft 83 supported on a bracket 84. One arm 85 of the rock shaft 83 hasan adjusting means 96 by which the throw of the pump plunger 82 may bevaried.

A rod 81 connects the adjusted arm with one end of a bell crank 88. Thisbell crank is pivoted on a bracket 89 mounted in turn upon the outsideof the frame II. The second end of the bell crank 88 carries a roller 99which travels within the groove of the rotary cam 9 I. The cam 9| ismounted upon the shaft 53 outside of the cam 54.

The relation of the cam 9I- to the cam 54 is such that the charge ofmolten metal is lifted by the pump plunger 82 and driven through thepipe 92 for delivery to the casting box while the latter is in lockedposition as shown in Fig. 1.

The retraction of the mold I4, and the tilting of the core 29 and castplate P into the position shown in Fig. 5 follows as soon as the castplate P has solidified. When the plate P rolls beyond the core 29, thelatter is returned to the casting position shown in Fig. 1, andimmediately receives another charge of molten metal. In this way, sincethe plate is cast as soon as the parts of the casting box I3 are locked,suflicient time will elapse for solidification before the casting box isunlocked and the core 29 and plate P delivered to the runway.

As the plate rolls down the runway it passes over the shield 93 and intothe shaving arch 94. It is there brought to a stationary position bymeans of a stop 95 engaging a tongue on the plate P (Fig. 7).

Simultaneously with the stopping of the plate, it is lifted by a section95 of the runway so that the plate fits against the shaving arch 94 askeyed to a rotary sleeve 98 suitably journaled at 09, 99 in the frame.The sleeve carries the customary shaving blade or knife I and in spacedrelation thereto is a mounting I 0| for the rotary saw I02.

The lower end of the sleeve has a rotary cam I03 with a cutaway portionI04.

The lower portion of the stop plate 95 carries a roller I opposite thecam I03. A compression spring I06 holds the stop plate 95 in elevatedposition with the roller I05 against the cam I03. Thus the stop 95 isheld down in inoperative position until such time as the roller I05 islifted into the cutaway portion I04. At this moment the stop plate 95arrests the plate P and allows it to be lifted against the shaving archand to be operated upon the shaving knife I00 and the rotary saw I02.Before the saw has completed its travel against the plate, the stop willhave been retracted by the larger diameter of the cam I03 and the tail Tof the plate will then be free to continue down the runway.

The sleeve 98 is hollow for the greater portion of its length as shownin Fig. 7. The shaft I01 is journaled axially of the sleeve and at itsupper end has a keyed gear I08. This gear is in contact with the gearwheel 43 (Fig. and thus receives relatively rapid rotation.

The lower end of the shaft I01 carries the gear I09. An idle gear IIO onshaft III transmits power from gear I09 to pinion I I2 in the mountingIIlI. Pinion H2 is on a shaft H3 and this latter at its outer endcarries the rotary saw I02.

At its lower end beyond the bearing 99, sleeve 98 has a gear H4 and thisin turn meshes with gear I I5 on shaft H5 in the bearing 99. Shaft H5 isextended to carry a rotary cam III.

A short section I I8 of the runway is pivoted to the frame at H9 (Fig.8). Part of this section carries a transverse bar I and an elevatedroller I2'I. This roller rests upon cam III. In this way the section II3 of the runway is dropped around the pivot H9 in the manner indicatedin Figs. '7 and 8 to permit the tail T of the casting to go down thechute I22. This excess material may then be remelted for subsequent use.

As soon as the tail T has been disposed of, the cam I II restores thesection II8 to its normal position and provides for transferring theplate P in trimmed and shaved condition to the cooling stand I23,

A stop I24 is provided across the lower end of the cooling stand. Thestop is connected by a link I25 to a lever I25. This lever is pivoted ona portion of the frame as shown in Fig. 2 and normally rests against thecam I21 (Figs. 2, 7 and 9). It will be evident that a single rotation ofthe cam shaft II6 will release a cooled plate and divert a tail section,thus providing for the cooling stand I23 to receive for cooling the lastplate just finished.

The interval of operations of the several cooperating features of theinvention have been separately described and explained above. The

advantage of this machine is that it receives power from the commonmotor M and by means of appropriate gearing carries out the severalfunctions in the desired order. Thus as soon as the cam 54 has lockedthe casting box, a charge of molten metal is automatically delivered tothe casting box. The cast stereotype plate remains in the mold untilsolidified when the casting box is mechanically broken open by theretraction of the mold I4 and the tilting of the core over upon therunway.

The core is lowered to a point below that at which the plate rests uponthe runway thus causing the separation of the plate from the core. Theplate travels by the force of gravity alone into the shaving arch whereit is then stopped, lifted into position against the arch and finishedfirst by shaving andsubsequently by trimmmg.

On mechanical release from the shaving arch at the conclusion of theseoperations the plate travels by gravity to the cooling stand.

Prior to delivery of the plate to the cooling stand, the severedtailwill have been diverted to its delivery chute and a cooled plate removedfrom the cooling stand to make room for the one being delivered.

The operation of these several devices in timed sequence provides forrapid, efficient and economical operation of casting stereotype plates.The conjoint use of the devices above described permits variation inarrangements, proportions and details within the scope of my inventionas defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway having anupper receiving end, a lower delivery end and an intermediate portion, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means for transferringa mold part to the receiving end of the runway and separating the castplate for travel by gravity over the runway, movable means to stop theplate in the intermediate portion of the runway, separate means forfinishing said plate by successively shaving the concave face of theplate and severing one end thereof, means to divert the severed end ofthe plate from the runway, movable means to stop the plate in the lowerdelivery end of the runway, a power source and mechanism for deliveringpower from said source in timed sequence to said pouring device,core-transferring means, plate finishing means, end diverting means andmovable stop means.

2. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway having anupper receiving end, a lower delivery end and an intermediate portion, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means for transferringa mold part to the receiving end of the runway and separating the castplate for travel by gravity over the runway, movable means to stop theplate in the intermediate portion of the runway, separate means forfinishing said plate by successively shaving the concave face of theplate and severing one end thereof, means to divert the severed end ofthe plate from the runway, movable means to stop the plate in the lowerdelivery end of the runway, a power source and a rotary cam devicedriven by said power source for operating said pouring device,core-transferring means, plate finishing means, end diverting means andmovable stop means in timed sequence.

3. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway having anupper receiving end,

a lower delivery end and an intermediate portion, a motor, a drive shaftoperated by said motor, a two-part casting mold, a pouringdevice, meansactuated by said drive shaft for operating the pouring device, meansactuated by said drive shaft for unlocking the mold and tilting the moldcore and cast plate onto the receiving end'of the runway, means forstopping the plate and positioning it in the intermediate portion of therunway, finishing means driven from said shaft for successively shavingand. trimming the plate, and means operated by said finishing means fordiverting the severed end of the plate from the runway.

4. In a stereotype plate making machine,an inclined runway, a motor, adrive shaft operated by the motor, a two-part castingmold, a pouringdevice, means actuated by said drive shaft for operating the pouringdevice, locking means for the mold and mold core in their proximatepositions, means actuated by the shaft for reciprocating the mold, andseparate means actuated by the shaft for retracting the mold core, andtilting it past the runway.

5. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway, a motor, adrive shaft operated by the motor, a two-part casting mold, a rockshaft, means connecting the rock shaft to'the drive shaft foroscillating movement, means actuated by the rock shaft for reciprocatingthe mold proper, a Geneva movement actuated by the rock shaft, and meansconnected with the Geneva movement for tilting the mold core past therunway.

6. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway, a motor, adrive shaft operated by the motor, a two-part casting mold, a rockshaft, means connecting the rock shaft to the drive shaft foroscillating movement, means actuated by the rock shaft for reciprocatingthe mold proper, a Geneva movement actuated by the rock shaft, rock armssupporting the mold core, and a link connecting one of said rock arms tothe Geneva mechanism to tilt the mold core past the runway.

'7. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway, a motor, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means operated by saidmotor for operating said pouring device and transferring a mold part tothe runway and separating the cast plate for travelby' gravity over therunway, finishing means jointly actuated by the motor for shaving andtrimming the plate, and means controlled by the finishing means forconveying the finished plate away and diverting the trimmed plate end.

8. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway, a motor, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means operated by saidmotor for operating said pouring device and transferring a mold part tothe runway and separating the cast plate for travel by gravity over therunway, a shaving arch over a portion of the runway, a rotary sleevebeneath the shaving arch and driven by the motor, a shaving knifecarried by the sleeve, a rotary saw journaled on the sleeve behind theknife, a shaft journaled within the sleeve and transmitting rotationfrom the motor to the saw, a stop for the plate, and stop operatingmeans on the sleeve.

9. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway, a motor, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means operated by saidmotor for operating said pouring device and transferring a mold part tothe runway and separating the cast plate for travel by gravity over therunway, finishing means jointly actuated by the motor for shaving andtrimming the plate, a stop for the plate, stop operating means actuatedby the finishing means, a pivoted'portion of the runway and meansactuated by the finishing means for tilting said pivoted portion intimed sequence with the stop.

10. Ina stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway, a motor, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means operated by saidmotor for operating said pouring device and transferring a mold part tothe runway and separating the cast plate for travel by gravity over therunway, finishing means jointly actuated by the motor for shaving andtrimming the plate, a stop fortheplate, stop operating means actuated bythe finishing means, a pivoted portion of the runway, a cam driven bythe finishing meansand a tiltablesection of the runway operated by thecam in timed sequence with the stop.

11. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway, a motor, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means operated by saidmotor for operating said pouring device and transferring a mold part tothe runway and separating the cast plate for travel by gravity over therunway, a rotary sleeve actuated by the motor and having means forshaving and trimming the plate, *a vertically reciprocable stop platebeyond the sleeve, a camon the sleeve and means on the stop platecontrolled by said cam.

12. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway, a motor, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means operated by saidmotor for operating said pouring device and transferring a mold .part tothe runway and separating the cast plate for travel by gravity over therunway, a rotary sleeve actuated by the motor and having finishing meansfor shaving and trimming the plate, a cam, gearing between the cam andthe sleeve, and a tiltable section of the runway operated by the cam intimedsequence with said finishing means.

13. In a stereotype plate making machine, the combination of a pouringdevice, a casting box associated therewith, means for reciprocating saidbox, a core, means for retracting and tilting .the core during saidretracting movement, a

gravity runway for successively receiving the cast plate from the core,and positioning it for finishing and cooling, a movable stop for thecast plate intermediate said runway, a rotary sleeve underlying theplate, a knife carried by said sleeve for shaving the concave surface ofthe plate, a shaft journaled axially within the sleeve, a circular sawjournaled on said sleeve behind said knife and driven from said shaft, atilting section on the runway beyond the stop, means operated by saidsleeve for tilting said section, a second stop spaced beyond saidtilting section above the runway, means for rendering said stopinoperative, a power source and means connected thereto for cyclicallyand successively operating the several mechanisms.

14. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway having anupper receiving end, a lower delivery end and an intermediate portion, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means for transferringa mold part to the receiving end of the runway and separating the castplate for travel by gravity over the runway, movable means to stop theplate in the intermediate portion of the runway, separate means forfinishing said plate by successively shaving the concave face of theplate and severing one end thereof, means to divert the severed end ofthe plate from the runway, and movable means to stop the plate in thelower delivery end of the runway, a power source and mechanism fordelivering power from said source in timed sequence to said platefinishing means, and diverting means and movable stop means.

15. In a stereotype plate making machine, an inclined runway having anupper receiving end, a lower delivery end and an intermediate portion, atwo-part casting mold, a pouring device therefor, means for transferringa mold part to the receiving end of the runway and separating the castplate for travel by gravity over the runway, movable means to stop theplate in the

